If there is one mistake the Mets could make in what remains of this season, it would be to push Michael Conforto into the leadership breach created by the deconstruction of the roster.

For while Conforto has performed more than ably, and in fact wonderfully in filling voids out of his comfort zones in center field and in the leadoff spot in the order, this is the 23-year-old’s first full season in the major leagues.

If leadership skills are to develop, they should do so organically, not in response to a seemingly unending single-file march out of Queens by veterans from Jay Bruce to Neil Walker to Lucas Duda to Addison Reed to Rene Rivera to one of Conforto’s primary mentors, Curtis Granderson.

And that is the message Terry Collins, the manager, delivered to Conforto during a lengthy chat in the outfield during batting practice that preceded the Mets’ 8-1 victory over the Marlins on Saturday night.

“Terry was telling me not to force myself into a leadership role and that I should let it happen naturally,” Conforto said after a 1-for-4 night that included a hard-hit ball to shortstop that went for an error and gave the Mets a two-run lead in the club’s seven-run sixth inning. “That makes a lot of sense.

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Pieces of the Mets are all that remain behind following the Great Purge of 2017, in which management reduced payroll by more than $10 million and increased the opportunity for kids to get playing time — but did not seem to acquire even a single noteworthy building block — throughout the final six weeks of this baseball death march to October.

It is of course the height of irony, and not perhaps not entirely accidental, that Asdrubal Cabrera, the one veteran to actually put in a request for a trade that became instantly public, has not yet been granted his reprieve.

Only eight players from the misty water-colored memories of the 2015 World Series were on the active roster for Saturday’s victory that broke a five-game losing streak after the club had gone 6-16 in its previous 22 contests. Time has marched on without the Mets.

“We’re in the big leagues,” Collins, the manager whose clubhouse is now occupied by more than a half-dozen players who were in the minor leagues not three weeks ago, said before the game. “It’s about [how you] approach it each and every day.

“I’m a true believer. I don’t care whose names are on the uniforms, this is the big leagues. There are expectations when you wear a major league uniform. We’ve got to go out and play better.”

The Mets were better in this one, even if all the Metropolitan Nine lost track of the number of outs in the top of third and remained in place on the field after Giancarlo Stanton banged into an inning-ending double play.

Rafael Montero, pitching to remain in the 2018 conversation, turned in six strong innings in his second-straight impressive outing. Kevin Plawecki, rescued after three months toiling behind the plate for Triple-A Las Vegas, cracked a two-run homer. So did forever Met Wilmer Flores, who by process of elimination might get some steady playing time.

The spotlight the rest of the way will be trained on Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith, the latter of whom slugged an eighth-inning homer, as the franchise’s two most-hyped prospects seek to establish their respective holds on shortstop and first base in advance of reporting to Port St. Lucie next spring.

Beyond that, center stage will belong to Conforto, a star on the rise slashing .278/.384/.556 with 26 homers and 65 RBIs, but on a 4-for-28 downturn.

“I think Michael needs to focus on just finishing out the year strong,” the manager said of Conforto, who batted cleanup for the seventh time and made only his fourth start in right field to accompany his 45 in left and 39 in center. “There’s enough going on with him that he needs to just play.

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Before the Subway Series, Michael Conforto tried to downplay comparisons...

“I said to him, ‘Listen, one of these days [leadership] will be your role, but right now, just establish yourself as a solid, everyday player.’ ”

Conforto is dedicated to doing that. He is a young man in a hurry, but not in no rush to try and be someone he is not. He is still learning. Still adapting. Still far from a finished product.

“I think with my situation here having success after dealing with some failure last year, I can help guys who come up here and can reinforce some things I’ve learned,” Conforto said. “But I took what Terry said with respect.

“I’m not going to force anything. I’m going to be myself.I’m comfortable with that.”